COLLINSVILLE – To improve and enhance local transportation options, Madison County Transit (MCT) will launch “MCT Micro,” its first MicroTransit, service on Monday, August 12, as a pilot program, offering affordable on-demand rides in Collinsville. MCT Micro is a public transportation service that allows riders to book trips on-demand from an app on a smartphone or via phone call and ride anywhere within a pre-determined zone. (See MCT Micro Service Area Map for the Collinsville Zone). Each ride on MCT Micro is just $1.00 and all valid MCT passes, tokens, and Free Ride IDs will be accepted.
Powered by technology from SpareLabs Inc. and operated (like all MCT services) by Agency for Community Transit (ACT), the MCT Micro service will utilize MCT’s smallest ADA-accessible buses and will be driven by ACT’s trained, drug-tested, and background-checked drivers. All vehicles are equipped with video surveillance and bike racks. Once launched, passengers can request rides through the MCT Micro app, call MCT’s dispatch center, or simply walk up to the vehicle to board. Operating Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and introducing Sunday service in Collinsville from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., MCT Micro will fill a vital gap in weekend transportation, providing a level of accessibility previously unavailable on the #15 East Collinsville Shuttle or #21 West Collinsville Shuttle routes.
“MCT is taking transit to the next level in Madison County,” said MCT Managing Director SJ Morrison. “This innovative pilot program known as MCT Micro allows residents to hail an MCT vehicle in Collinsville via mobile app or with a quick phone call. I want to commend the MCT Board of Trustees for their foresight and the hard-working ACT team for implementing this exciting new service.”
The MCT Micro app can be found in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store by searching “MCT Micro.” Once downloaded, riders only need to enter a phone number to book a ride. Passengers without a smartphone can call MCT to schedule a ride. Rides on MCT Micro are $1.00 and can be paid via the app using MCT’s mobile ticketing partner, TokenTransit. Rides can be scheduled immediately or for later in the day. Riders looking to book a trip more than 24 hours in advance must schedule with an MCT dispatcher by calling 618-797-4636. For details about MCT Micro visit www.MCT.org/micro. To learn more about any of MCT’s services visit www.MCT.org, call (618) 797-INFO (4636), or e-mail info@mct.org.
Madison County Transit (MCT) provides multi-modal transportation services for Madison County, Illinois. MCT operates a fixed-route bus service, connecting to MetroLink; express weekday commuter service directly to and from downtown St. Louis; and seasonal express service to the Muny. For elderly and disabled residents who are unable to use the fixed-route buses, MCT provides complementary door to door service. MCT is also responsible for the construction and maintenance of more than 135 miles of bikeways that comprise the MCT Trails system, as well as overseeing RideFinders, the St. Louis region’s FREE carpooling and vanpooling program.
